1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to composites comprising a polymer and a layered compound and methods of preparing and using same. More specifically, this disclosure relates to methods of exfoliating layered compounds to prepare polymer composites.
2. Background
Synthetic polymeric materials are widely used in the manufacturing of a variety of end-use articles ranging from medical devices to food containers. Nanocomposites comprised of polymeric materials and layered compounds represent a novel class of materials that often display desirable characteristics (e.g., improved mechanical and/or physical properties). The extent of incorporation of the layered compound into the polymer matrix influences the characteristics displayed by the nanocomposite. One of the challenges in preparing these materials is the difficulty associated with achieving a high degree of exfoliation of the layered compounds into the polymer matrix. Herein exfoliation refers to delamination of a layered materials resulting in the formation of disordered layers or sheets. Thus, it would be desirable to develop improved methods of exfoliating layered compounds into a polymer matrix.